Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 19962, Ezra Foot, Conn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Conn.
Scott, Ezra
N. 19962.
Parsons, Mercy or Parsons
former widow
CONTENTS
Samuel

1506 Vermont. (Burlington)
Mercy Aaron formerly son of Ezra Post
born died on the 29 Dec 1795 Bennington Co in the State of Vermont was a private in the company commanded by Captain _____ of the reg t - commanded by Col Meigs - in the Vermont for the war.
scribed on the Roll of Vermont. at the rate of 80 Dollars - Cents, per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 26 day of Oct 1837 - and sent to S. Swift Esq. Manchester. Vt.
arrears to the 4th of Sept 1837 $ 520. - Semi-annual allowance ending 4th mo 38 40. -
$ 560. -
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836, Section the 3 rd }
Recorded by J. Allison Clerk.
A Vol. 20 Page 40

Rem d with orig. notes Aug. 1883. C.S.R.

1870 Jan 1st Barnesville, Minn.
on roll for the war, Col R. J. Hays regt.
admitted P. $80

State of Vermont } County of Bennington } On this 19 th day of May, 1837, personally appeared before the Hon. the Probate Court, within the District of Manchester in the County of Bennington & State of Vermont Mary Parsons a Resident of the Town of Shelburne in the said Probate District, aged Ninety years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her Oath make the following Declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 4. 1836. & also the Act explanatory of the same passed March 3. 1837.
That she was married at Derby in the County of Litchfield in the State of Connecticut by the Rev. David Bronson then of Oxford in the same County, agreeably to her best present recollection on the 27 th day of September 1770. to Ezra Foot of said Derby since deceased - That the said Ezra Foot after words, some time in the spring of the year 1776. agreeably to her best understanding recollection & belief enlisted into some Company of Infantry, but by what Officers com- manded she is not now able to recollect or state, - That the same was attached to the Regiment commanded by Col. Ellings in the Connecticut continental line as she is informed & firmly believed, as a private soldier, & that as such, he served in the said Regiment for & during the whole term or period of the revolutionary War as called, until the final close & termination thereof - That during the said term of service, as she is informed & believes, he was engaged in the storming of the Fort at Stony Point so called, & in that engagement the Badge which was upon the hats of the American troops to dis- tinguish them in the night was shot from his hat - That he was stationed at West Point, at the time of Gen. Arnold's attempt to betray that Fort into the hands of the enemy - That he was also engaged at the time of the capture of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown - That besides the above he was engaged in several other skirmishes & battles during the war - That at the conclusion thereof, he was regularly discharged with the other regular Continental troops, & at which time he received a written discharge, which she has frequently seen, & that he retained the same in his possession until the time of his death which took place agreeably to her best present recollection, on or about the 29 th day of Decem- ber 1795. - That after his death, she also frequently saw said discharged kept the

She came in her possession for several years. But after the death of her said husband, she came on a visit to her daughter who then resided in said Arlington. She left the same with this purpose, expecting soon to have returned, but that she had moved since that time returned, but still remains. She has since continued to reside at said Arlington that sometime afterwards, she went by her son in law to Connecticut, to procure a divorce from her the said discharge, that upon her return she was informed by him that he had been informed, at said place, that the said discharge with other papers left by her there had been destroyed as considered useless or of little consequence - that her said husband at the time of his said discharge returned to his said home at said Derby, in infirm health & with a broken constitution, from which he never recovered until the time of his said death the reason of which he was almost totally unable to attend to any kind of business or employment, left her with five children, in very destitute & helpless situation & circumstances - That after his death, on the 17 th day of March 1796. agreeably to her best present recollection, she was again married to one Samuel Parsons, who afterwards on the 5 th day of May 1816. also died & deceased. That she has remained a Widow ever since that period, & that she was a Widow & single on the 16 th day of July 1836. as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed.
Tabathy Cur Brown Sworn to & subscribed on the day & year above written before me
Mercy Parsons
Martin C. Dunning Judge of Probate Court And the said Court doth further certify, that it fully appears to them, that the above Applicant Mercy Parsons is a credible & respectable Person & that her statement is entitled to full credit. Certified by me Martin C. Dunning Judge of Probate Court
I Polly M. Curtis a Resident of Arlington in the State of Vermont aged 48 years, do testify before thee, that I am the above named Polly Parsons, the said first husband Ezra Post - that I very well remember him & that I have heard account, his services & trials & hardships during the revolutionary War - that agreeably to my best present recollection I believe, he died on or about the 29 th day of December 1795. that my said Mother afterwards again married, agreeably to my present recollection I believe, on or about the 17 th day of March 1796. to one Samuel Parsons, who also died, as I understand & believe, on or about the 5 th day of May 1816. & that my said Mother has ever since that time remained, still is a Widow, residing with me. Polly M. Curtis Sworn to & subscribed, on the day & year aforesaid before me, & further certify that I am well acquainted with the said Applicant, & that she is a credible person & that statement entitled to full credit. Certified by Martin C. Dunning, Judge of Probate Court

State of Vermont, do hereby certify that the within & foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the Application of the said Mary Parsons for a Pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my hand, & affixed the seal of the said District Court at Arlington this 19 th day of February 1837. A.D. 1837. In the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven, and of the Independence of the United States the sixty first.
W. Canfield Register

Rev
WIDOW, &c.
File No. 19.962
Mercy Parsons Former Widow of Ezra Root Prj. Rev. War
Act: July 4 th 1836
Index:—Vol. M , Page 114
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Up Mary Lane
FREE
The Hon. The Commissioner of Police
Washington
D.C.

Aug
add. pff V Mary Parson, Mrs Mary Lane
The Hon. The Commissioner of Pensions
Washington
D. C.

Manchester Aug. 21. 1837.
To the Hon. the Comr. of Pensions,
Man. o Sir; Enclosed I forward to you, two Affidavits to prove the marriage of Mary Parsons. The first was taken in conformity with a requisition of your Department, supposing at the time, that no Record of her first marriage could be found - but on the next day, I accidentally learned that the Records of the Clergyman who married her, had been preserved in the hands of one of the Deacons of his Church. I accordingly called upon him, found them, & obtained his Affidavit of the Record, I have now the honor & satisfaction of transmitting the whole.
I have just rec. d a letter from your Department, relative to the case of Mary Leonard Huntston presented, in which it is suggested doubts as to the proof of the date of her marriage, on the ground that the testimony goes to show that she was married at the time her husband was in the service of his Country - The fact doubtless was so, & I was Huntston informed by her, that he was on furlough at the time they were married - As to the character of the Witnesses, Philo & Mary Huntston - they formerly resided in this neighbourhood, & are here well known, & are I believe, universally considered as reputable & respectable Persons, & their veracity unquestioned - She is said to be the only living witness of their marriage which can now be recollected by her - As to the existence of any Record of their marriage, is a fact which I previously inquired into, & understood that there was none - That the Records of the Town of Arlington, during & anterior to the revolutionary war, were destroyed by a Tory who then held the Office of Town Clerk of that Town - & besides, at that early day, very few marriages were recorded in these then new

settled Friends - As to that fact, I will procure you the proof to forward on - But no satisfactory evidence can be adduced, from the birth or age of children, as I am informed, she has ever been childless - And the family Register, or minute of the time of their marriage formerly made, I think, in their Bible, has, as I under- stand, in some way, been accidentally lost or destroyed.
I am Hon. Sir, very respectfully
Yours &c
S. Swift.
FREE

STATE OF CONNECTICUT, NEW-HAVEN COUNTY: COUNTY COURT CLERK'S OFFICE.
} ss.
I, ROBINSON S. HINMAN, Clerk of the County Court, within and for said County,
and Keeper of the Seal thereof, and of the Commissions of Justices of Peace, within and for said County, hereby certify that
Isaac Gilbert and Noah Stone
Esq rs Justices of Peace within and for the said County, duly appointed Commissioned and sworn, with power to administer oaths and take the acknowledgment of Deeds: that their Commission is dated the 10 day of June A.D. 1837, and will expire on the twentieth day of June, A. D. 1838. That I am acquainted with the hand writing, and that the signature hereto annexed, purporting to be theirs
as this is his genuine official signature. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and the Seal of said Court, this 31 st day of August A.D. 1837
R. S. Hinman Clerk.

20
James Swift Esq
Manchester
100

I Levi Custer a Resident of the Town of Derby in the County of Litchfield & State of Connecticut, aged seventy seven years, do testify & say that I was well acquainted with Ezra Foot formerly of said Derby now deceased, & Mary his wife, afterwards married to Samuel Parsons, since also deceased, & who now resides as I am informed Believa, in the Town of Shelton in the State of Connecticut, is still a Widow, as I understand & only believing from my early childhood - & that previous to the Revolutionary war, the said Ezra Foot & Mary lived together as husband & wife, but was generally reported & understood that they were married - And I further testify & say that soon after the commencement of the said revolutionary war, they removed to Believa, about one year on half a dozen miles, & their first son, I believe their first child, was born whilst they resided there, & I know of their afterwards having two other children, I have generally understood & believe, that they so lived together as man & wife, until the time of his death, except the time when he was absent from home in the service of his country, as a soldier, during that war. I further attest Levi Custer
I Anne Humphreys of Derby aforesaid, aged eighty one years, do also testify & say that I was also well acquainted with the said Ezra Foot & Mary his wife, from my early childhood & until the time of his death, & that anterior to the revolutionary war, they lived together as husband & wife, but was generally reported & believed that they were such & were lawfully married, & they so lived together until the time of his death, except the time he was absent from home during that war, as a soldier, of which also I had knowledge, or so understood & believe - & that during their cohabitation they had several children. I further say not known Humphreys State of Connecticut Derby Aug. 15 th 1837. Then personally appeared the above Ezra Foot & Mary his wife, to me known to be the persons described in & who executed the foregoing affidavits, and acknowledged that the facts stated by them, in their affidavits, are true according to their best knowledge, belief & I further certify that the above affidavits are to the best of my knowledge, true & correct. Isaac I. Gillat Justice of the Peace

I Samuel Beardslee a Resident of Oxford in the County of Middlesex & State of Connecticut, aged sixty five years, do testify depose & say, that as one of the Deacons of the Congregational Church in said town of Oxford, the early Church Records of said Church were placed in my hands, soon after the death of the Rev d . David Branson former Pastor of said Church Society, who died agreeably to my best present recollection, about thirty years ago - & that they have remained in my hands ever since that time - Amongst which Records, I find the following entry made in the hand writing of the said Pastor, to me well known, (viz) - "An Account of those that entered into the marriage Covenant for David Branson Pastor" - Under which head & in the same hand writing, I together find the following Record (viz.) "1772. Dec r . 13 th Ezra Root married to Mary Durand of Derby" I further saith not
Samuel Beardslee
State of Connecticut, Oxford Aug t . 15 th 1837. Then personally appeared County of Middlesex for the above named Samuel Beardslee to me well known, & made known oath before me, that the facts by him stated in the foregoing Affidavit by him subscribed are true according to his best knowledge, belief - And I do further certify that the said Affiant is a credible & respectable Person Attest Vachel Stone Just e of the peace

I Benjamin Davis a Resident of the Town of Arlington in the County of Bennington & State of Vermont, aged forty nine years, do hereby depose & say that I have been acquainted with the her who is now the Widow Mary Parsons, born about a Resident in said Town of Arlington, from my youth, having formerly resided in the Town of Derby in the State of Connecticut, in the neighborhood where she then lived - I knew her at the time she resided with her first husband Ezra Foot to whom she was reported to have been married - & I went to school with their Children when young, the eldest of whom now alive, I suppose to be fifty years of age, or about that age, & I fully believe from the knowledge which I have of her & said Mary, & her family, that she was married to the said Ezra Foot, prior to the Revolutionary War, & that he the said Ezra died about the latter part of the year 1795. -
And I further testify & say, that I was lately employed in her behalf to go to the State of Connecticut & the said town of Derby, for the purpose of procuring evidence for her, of her said marriage with the said Ezra Foot - that I went to the town of Oxford where it was stated by her that she was married, & was there informed that so long since the time of their marriage, & down to the year 1786, agreeably to my former recollection, said Oxford was but a Parish of the said Town of Derby - I then went to the Town Clerk's Office of said Town of Derby, & made diligent & thorough search thro' the Town Records of said Town, but could not find therein any Record of their marriage - I also made search enquiring for a family Bible which she stated that she left behind, when she came to Vermont, & in which she said that she supposed was recorded the time of her said marriage, & also for the discharge from the Army of her said husband Ezra Foot, & some other important Papers, which she also stated that she had left behind; but I could find neither, nor could I get any trace of them - I also enquired of the aged People who reside in that neighborhood & region around, but could find none alive who were present at her marriage but found several who knew her whilst living with the said Ezra Foot -
Benjamin Davis
State of Vermont, Bennington County, Manchester Probate District ss. On this 21 st day of June 1837, at a Probate Court duly held at Arlington in said District, personally appeared in open Court, Benjamin Davis of said Arlington, & made solemn Oath that the facts stated in the foregoing Affidavit by him subscribed, are true, according to his best knowledge, information & belief.

And I do further certify that I am well acquainted with the said Benjamin Davis, & that he is a credible & respectable Person.
Certified by me Martin C Derringer Judge of Probate Court
I Harmon Canfield Register of the Probate Court within & for the District of Manchester in the County of Bennington State of Vermont, do hereby certify that the above original proceedings in the above case were duly had before the said Court, held as aforesaid.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of the said Court at Montpelier this 21 st day of June A.D. 1837. & of the Independence of the U. States the 61 st
H. Canfield
Register

27 June 2175
J Swift
Care Mary Parsons
att 4 July 36
FREE
Mary Parsons
Rev
Hon. J. S. Edwards
Commissaire of Customs
Washington
A.C.

2175 27 June
Scripps
Care Mercy Parsons
act 4 July 36
FREE
Merrimack N.H.
The Hon. James L. Edwards,
Commission of Pensions,
Washington
D.C.

Manchester (Vt.) June 22 d 1837.
To the Hon. S. D. Edwards,
Hon. Sir, I herewith forward to you the Pension Declaration & Voucher of Mrs. Parsons. It will be perceived that she is not able to produce proof direct, of her first marriage, but under the circumstances of the case, I trust it will be satis- factory & deemed sufficient. At the early day in which that mar- riage took place, but few were recorded. great The lapse of time which has intervened, & the advanced age of the Party, have blotted from the memory the names of many, probably, who were present at the wed- ding, & but few, if any, who did attend, can be supposed to be now alive. I find that in many similar cases are presented, & a strict requisition of absolute proof, where indeed no possible doubt can exist, would shut out from the benefits of the provision of the law, many who are the most deserving. So also is the case as to proof of the services of the Applicant's former husband, especially in this State, & section of the Country, where the local inhabitants were few in the time of the war, & were obliged to defend themselves from constant & continual encroachments & depredations from the enemy. Volunteers of course were very frequent, & each one was compelled to turn out on the shortest notice, without much order or regularity, & in many cases organization into companies & parts of companies, took place after their arrival on the ground of operations. It cannot therefore be presumed that the wife should know in all cases at the time, or even afterwards, the name of the corps to which her husband was attached or of the few who can be supposed to be now alive, who is called upon to prove her husband's services. I speak with more particular reference to the case of Mrs. Rhoda Pillsbury, which has been suspended. She is a very aged & very worthy & respectable woman, & altho' her memory is very good for some of her age, she cannot be supposed to be familiar with the details of all her husband's servi- ces, & still no doubt can exist of the performance of them & services with any one, & yet even she required precisely to prove them, she would fail as to the

principal part - his son who testified as to the traditions from his father, is a very respectable, & also a public man, he was last year, & will probably be again, the Advt d candidate for S t Gov t in this State - As to the case of Henry Dyer, also suspended, I think there must have been some mistake or misapprehension of the facts stated by him in his Decls n - If I rightly recollect, he not only stated the Reg t but the b o in which he served, & also the time of his service, & if he had failed in explicitly proving the exact amount by his other witnesses, yet his evidence within the Rule established of traditional testimony, in the absence of other proof, to support the Applicant's oon Dath n I can truly say, that no man in this part of the country sustains a higher character, for unimpeachable veracity than he - I hope that both these cases may be removed as they stand - There are also two or three other cases which I have heretofore presented, to which I have rec d no return.
I am Hon ble Sir, most respectfully
Yours &
S. Swift,
ly in name